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 Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 2:08 pm
The bakery's busiest hours were in the early morning before work and around lunch, though sometimes they got a fair bit of customers when school let out.
Today, Arias had only seen a few come in since the schools let out. Business would have been great, but he couldn’t complain; they'd had a busy morning and he was glad that the rush had died down. It gave him time to do other important things—like clean. Or help himself to some of the cupcakes still sitting out.
He was sitting at a stool behind the counter, flipping through a recipe book one of the girls had left, though he was more interested in looking at the pictures than he was reading about what was in them. Today was just one of those days; he had too much energy and not enough to do. He loved his job, but he couldn't wait for his shift to end. He kept wavering between stir-crazy and being ready for a nap, so eating cupcakes and pretending to read was just about all he could do to keep himself up.
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:49 pm
Being homeschooled was really one of the coolest things in the world. Sure, she didn’t get the ‘social interaction’ that public school gave, but hey. She got to run around when she was finished her lessons, and today she wanted to bother Arias at work. That was always a fun thing to do. Carlee was dressed in her girl scout getup, and was planning on attending her meeting after she spent some time with her favorite, and only, big brother for a while.
The curly haired brunette danced into the shop and then grinned, tiptoeing up to the counter. Arias looked busy, so maybe she would be able to scare him this time. Maybe. She tried not to make any noise until she got right up close. Finally the girl jumped up. “Hi Arias! I’m here and I’m kind of hungry! Plus I have scouts tonight, can I have some cupcakes to bring them maybe? Please? Pleaseeee?”
She ran over to the male and gave him a big hug. Usually that buttered him up pretty well. And if not, she could always put on the puppy pout.
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 7:27 pm
While the recipe book might not have been totally engrossing, Arias entirely missed his sister. He should have been used to such antics, but she had caught him entirely off guard. He wasn't one to yelp or huff; he had inhaled and stiffened when she appeared out of nowhere. "Carlee," he chastised, just a bit of frustration in his voice. It wasn't that he wasn't delighted with the visit, but it was just his job to scold her when she did something he didn't agree with.
Scaring him was not on his list of things he agreed with.
He almost begrudgingly wrapped an arm around her to return the hug; even if he was still getting over his heart pounding in his ears, he couldn't be mad at her. "I don't think I should give you any cupcakes. I can't reward you for bad behavior. When I'm older, if you keep doing this, you know I'm going to have a heart attack. I already know you'll be the death of me."
…It was as angry as he could be at her. A grin split across his face and he reached down to ruffle her curly hair. "So I suppose I had better spoil you while I'm still around. Though, if you were hungry you should have eaten before you left…But I guess Mom wasn't going to let you get away with sweets, was she? Mind you, I shouldn't. Do you want a sandwich, or do you just want to dig into the sweets?"
He probably wasn't setting the best example; he could have helped himself to a sandwich at any time, but instead he'd spent the past hour filling up on sweets, himself.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:49 am
Carlee grinned and shook her head. “I did eat before I left. I had cereal like three hours ago…so I am really hungry again, so feed me please! And really, I need lots of cupcakes for scouts tonight! I want to surprise everyone.” She seemed like this was the end of her conversation, she had no doubt in her mind that Arias would give her everything she asked for, he always did.
“What kind of sandwich would you make for me? I do like sandwiches when you make them, Ari!” She gave a little pout when what he said finally penetrated the mess of curls on her head and she looked at him. “I am not going to be the death of you! I can’t believe you would even say something like that!”
The brunette pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest, looking resolutely away from him. “Maybe you’re not my favorite brother anymore. Maybe I’ll just have to go find another one, one that doesn’t say I’m going to kill him one day! How mean!”
Maybe if she pouted enough…she would give him even more sweets. It usually worked. But it was always his fault for saying mean things in the first place!
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:30 pm
"Well—hey, let's not go there on the favorite brother thing. You're still my favorite sister, but if I'm not your favorite brother, I might just have to eat all these cupcakes by myself." He shrugged, as though it weren't any skin off his back, but he couldn't keep up the charade for long. He was smiling at her again and moving from atop the stool. "I'll pack up some cupcakes for your scouts tonight."
He didn't ask again about the sandwich; he figured he knew his sister well enough to know what to put on a sandwich for her. It helped that he'd been making sandwiches for years, so it was with relative ease that he managed to slap one together in only about a moment. He nabbed a few napkins and passed them and the sandwich over to her before reaching for a box for the cupcakes. "Try not to make a mess, I just swept. Are you running out the door right now or do you want me to grab some of the cupcakes from out back and let you decorate them with me?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:57 am
Carlee grabbed the sandwich and took a large bite out of it, chewing happily. “Well. I’m totally ready to help you decorate cupcakes. I’m always ready for that. What kinds do you have today?”
She scooched up near Arias, looking over the cupcakes. “I want half chocolate and half vanilla, and I want lots of colored frosting, and sprinkles and everything…but you know all of that already.” The brunette took another large bite of the sandwich and seemed absolutely pleased with everything. Visiting her brother at the store was just the best thing ever. Besides, she never left hungry, and she never left empty handed either…even if sometimes Arias was slow to give her a dozen, or two dozen cupcakes…or cookies.
Or anything. She always ended up getting snacks for her troop when she visited…that was just what she did.
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Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 12:39 pm
Arias couldn't help but grin; his sister was predictable, at least when it came to her cupcakes. "Half chocolate, half vanilla is no problem. Give me a minute, let me go get some. Call if anyone comes in," he instructed before he turned, abandoning the counter in favor of retreating to the kitchen. He was gone for only a moment, and when he returned it was with a tray of freshly cooled cupcakes. They were undecorated, but he seemed to have that under control; along with the cupcakes he brought with him two filled piping bags: one was obviously chocolate, but the other was simply an array of color.
He approached the counter and set the items down, withdrawing a cylindrical container half full of rainbow sprinkles. He picked up the colorful bag; the three distinct colors consisted of a blue, yellow and red, and when he pulled a cupcake closer he made a very gentle swirl. The colors blended nicely and he seemed pleased, moving on to ht next one. "If you want to help, feel free to go wild with the chocolate. I'll let you throw on as many sprinkles as you want."
He finished the second cupcake and was already on the third when he glanced over to her. "So what's going on in your life? Met any cute boys yet?" he teased; Carlee was too young for boys (he hoped) and probably didn't interact with as many as ordinary girls her age, but it was his job to tease her and pry. Especially when he was icing cupcakes for her.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:12 pm
When Arias returned, the sandwich was gone and the plate thrown away. Carlee grinned and watched him put the frosting on the first cupcake, giving a sigh. “I don’t know how you manage to make them look even better than in the baking magazines. It’s crazy. You are so amazing at decorating and baking and everything.”
She picked up the chocolate filled pastry bag and grabbed a cupcake. Well. So far so good. She always tried to make her toppings look as neat and pretty as Arias’s, but she was only eleven, and he had gone to school for this kind of thing…so it was an impossible dream right now. But maybe one day.
Carlee put a large dollop of icing on the cupcake in front of her and got a small handful of sprinkles, finishing it off and grinning.
“I think I need to make sure you’re not trying to poison me and the scouts…so…” She lifted the small cake…and took a large bite, getting chocolate frosting all over her mouth.
“Mmm…if you did poison them. It’s so worth it.”
Finally she gave him a look when she finally registered the ‘cute boys’ comment. Well. Well well. “I bet I’ve had more luck with boys than you’ll ever have with girls, Arias!” And with that, the curly haired preteen grabbed a handful of sprinkles and threw them at her brother. “You silly cake fairy!”
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 11:07 pm
Arias huffed when she insinuated that he had poisoned them; though was too focused on icing another cupcake for a proper retort. By the time he looked up, there were sprinkles in his face—his hair—and she had only given him an answer worth concerning him.
"Cake fairy? Is that supposed to be some sort of insult?" he didn't want to risk getting icing in his hair so he leaned back and shook his head to try and dislodge some of the sprinkles. "I bet you haven't even held hands with a boy. You don't think I've ever done more than that with a girl? —Or that I never will?"
…Not that he often discussed his love life with his little sister; he might have loved her dearly, but she was so much younger than him and there were some things you just weren't supposed to talk about with your siblings. At least until they grew up a little.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:36 pm
Carlee shrugged. “You are the cake fairy. That’s why you always smell sweet, and I bet you’d wet your pants before you could hold hands with a girl. You’re too shy, Ari.” She put a handful of sprinkles on another few cupcakes and looked up at her brother, smirking.
“Seriously, you have to find a nice girl, take her hand, and shove a cupcake in her mouth. She’ll be hooked then, and you won’t have to worry about being alone forever and ever. Not that it would be terrible to be alone for you, you can always spend your life getting fat from all of your cakes and sweets and everything. Not everyone has that chance, Arias, you are very lucky.”
Almost as thought to prove a point, the girl took one of her cupcakes and took a large bite out of it, frosting going all over her face. But oh boy was she happy with it.
Her brother made the very best cupcakes.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:15 pm
Arias' expression was bland as he looked at his little sister. It wasn't immediately apparent if he was irritated by her words or if he just didn't know what to do with her. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, he reached for a napkin and leaned over to mop her face with it. "Oh, what do you know about winning anyone over. I'm pretty sure you can't just go up to someone and shove cupcakes into their mouth without being rude. I'd probably chase away more people than I would win them over. If I do that I will end up alone. And even if fat and full of sweets sounds nice, cakes don't make for good conversation."
He huffed at her as he scooped off the excess icing. "Is that what it would take to win you over? Just some guy shoving sweets in your mouth? Or have you been able to develop an immunity what with all the sweets you shove in there?"
He flashed a smile, amused with her if anything. He might not know what he needed to be doing to go out and woo anyone, but he was pretty sure that shoving food in their face was going to have them hit the road sooner than hold his hand. But Carlee was either trying her hardest or trying to sabotage him, and when he couldn't tell the difference he did what he always did: he thanked her. Crumpling up the dirtied napkin, he added when he turned away to dispose it, "But thank you, I'll keep that advice in mind. Are you really that interested in trying to get me a girlfriend or has mom just been badgering you about it?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:43 pm
Carlee wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve after Arias had finished wiping it off, just to make sure that all of the frosting was absolutely all off. Finally she just grinned. “They would have to be might good cupcakes. It’s hard to win someone over after they’ve already had the best that there is in the world, duh.”
She threw sprinkles on the rest of her…rather sloppy but delicious cupcakes and stood up, stretching. “Well…Arias…you know mom wants grandkids. And she says she’s tired of telling you herself, because you always just look away and ignore her poor, work battered fingers!”
The curly haired brunette waggled one of her fingers at the older male and sighed. “She just wants someone to spoil, you know that…besides. I think her and dad are hoping they finally have someone who’s deaf, so they can really spoil them, you know?”
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:05 pm
Arias' lips pursed in thought and he nodded; noticing Carlee was finished with her sprinkles, he hastend to ice the rest of the cupcakes before moving to package them in a to-go box for her. "Well, I mean. You know, worst comes to worst I can adopt or something. I'm pretty sure I'll be financially stable enough to adopt a kid. Especially if my cupcakes are as good as you say." He leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "
It was hard not to just look away from his sister while she was talking about it. "Anyway, they spoiled us just fine, deaf or not. Mom just wants a baby she can dress up and an excuse to come over more often, I'm sure. I dunno, a girlfriend isn't happening right now, so a baby'd be pretty far off. Maybe she'd be better off just not expecting grandkids. I could get a puppy, though. They're cute."
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:54 pm
The girl shook her head, picking up the cupcakes. “I don’t know. Mom’s prolly right when she says I’ll be the one giving the grandkids. And I’m only eleven, so that’s a pretty big burn towards you, I think.” Carlee began to laugh, though her eyes landed on the clock and the laugh turned to a cough. “I’m late! Oh Arias you kept me talking for too long!”
She grabbed the take out containers for the cupcakes and hurried towards the door, though paused and doubled back, hugging her brother. “Thank you again, and don’t worry. I’ll have lots of kids someday and mom will get off your back, maybe. I love you!”
The girl ran from the shop then. It wasn’t worth letting her brother have the last word, especially when she had to get to her meeting, and she had to get there fast.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:27 pm
The hug had been brief, but the conversation lingered in his mind long after Carlee bolted. He hunched forward over the counter, tapped his fingers across the top of it—forced himself to clean up before another customer came in.
Well, kids weren't everything. Maybe Carlee would grow up and find a nice man when she was young and they would settle down and have kids early on.
All Arias knew was that kids were great and all, but it took nine months to make a baby and he wasn't making any effort to find a lady to settle down with.
Even if he wasn't out making babies, at least he made a good cupcake.
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